Deja Vu?

What do you call it when you aren't experiencing something for a second time but feel like you are re-living the past in reverse? Sort of like messed up deja vu.

Lately, Emma makes me feel like I'm dealing with myself at three! Yikes...I told my Dad today that it's amazing I survived! Today, she very independently went potty and washed her hands.

Yeah...

...but...her sleeves got wet and she hates that...and started to tug and pull them away from her skin...um, yes Mom...this should sound familiar.

My mother has reminisced about threatening me with my life if I stretched my sleeves out, again! Emma heard the same schpeal today and I had a real moment of pause. My little face looked up at me with a determined, "I'm gonna tug this til it stops bothering me." AGH! Her little hearts shirt will never be the same. Sigh!

Then, Caleb my "tight space" boy. Squeezed himself into half the cooking island. Very cute...and no he's not mad cuz he's stuck...he's mad cuz his sister closed him in and he didn't get to do it himself. He proceeded to get out and go shut her into her side! Sibling rivalry at 1 and 3...yes, it is a very real phenomenon!

So, if it isn't deja vu... what is it that I'm experiencing? And don't say my fair comeuppance.

Book Reviews 5 & 6

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Peterson
I loved this book. I feel a little embarrassed admitting that I'd never read it before. I knew I didn't want to watch the movie until I'd read it and now, well I may never watch the movie. With books that I truly like, I don't watch the movies cuz it just ruins it all! Case in point, Prince Caspian.
I would really like to see a youth group use this book for more in depth discussions about eternity. There are some great opportunities to discuss what it means to believe (or not believe) in God's Word, what happens when you die, etc.
Altogether, really neat book. I love the many different relationships going on...friendships, father/son, sibling, etc.

13. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Taylor
I gritted my teeth through this book. It was sad...that's the nicest thing I can come up with to say about it. My heart still aches for this sad family...left with an abusive mother by an absent father, every family meal ending horribly, poor kids creating a restaurant so they can "create family dinners" because they'd never had good ones. The whole story culminates with a dinner after the mother's funeral and it leaves you, right where it began, slightly depressed and yearning for better things for this fractured family. No hope! In the future when I think a book is a dud I'm not finishing it. This was a waste of time for me.

To check out my Fall Reading List just click here.

Know & Tell Friday...

Kayren over at Everything's Coming Up Daisies has a neat Mimi for Fridays that I thought I'd try. So, here it goes...animal edition.

1. What dog do you most resemble?
A Jack Russell Terrier. We had one named Molly...for about a month...when I was pregnant with Emma. I was 8 months pregnant. I loved Molly, really...but WOW! She was so much like me...stubborn, competitive, peppy, high energy, determined to have Darren's affections (or said affections of the Alpha Male). It's funny to me now that my daughter Emma now is very similar but I can't give her to a good family in the country! HA!

2. What is your favorite zoo animal?
I have a real love for the elephant. I'm not really sure why...I just think they are cute...in a huge, gray, wrinkled kind of way! I love the baby elephant at the Indy Zoo right now. She's precious!

3. What zoo animal reminds you most of yourself?
Hmmm, well definitely not the giraffe...'cuz I'm short. Trying to think of something loud and hyper! HA...maybe the meerkats!? Tiny little hyper bodies frantically digging in their plexi glass homes! Chirp, chirp!

4. Do you have any pets? If so, how many, what kind, and what are their names? If not, would you like one?
Due to the allergies of my husband and son, we have no pets. I grew up with dogs...and would love to have one. I know, I know...we could have a hypoallergenic dog but well...most of them really shouldn't qualify as dogs. I'd like to try a labradoodle but they cost lots of money and we live in the city and have no where for it to run. I love my grandparents Puli...but again...lots of money. Although, they got him from a Katrina Animal Rescue Facility, so ya never know.

5. Have you ever ridden a horse?
Yes. I took riding lessons when I was 14 or 15. Boy, thinking back it really makes me appreciate the sacrifice my parents made...both money and time. So, if your reading this...thanks Mom and Dad! I learned to ride on a pony named Romeo...a grulla. That's a distinct breed that's tan with a strip down the back. I graduated to Red a second chance Kentucky Derby horse. Very cool...learned to jump on him. When we moved to OH when I was 18, we had church friends who let me come over and ride in the old empty mines. It was fun! Boy, I really miss that!

6. Have you ever milked a cow?
Yes. Well, with a milker. My Mom's girlfriend Karen and her hubby Gil have a dairy farm in PA and let me hang around one summer. I had a great time working at anything they'd give me to do. It was great. I mucked stalls, hooked up milkers, fed cats, stacked hay, fed calves...it was great! Good times!

7. Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?
They don't? HA! My guess is that they do something to the wool when they make it into garments. It probably lacks oils that the sheep carry in their skin. Which makes me wonder...what if you EVOOed your sweaters? Then maybe they wouldn't shrink! HA!

This was really fun! Now, if I can figure out how to get her button in my sidebar...I'll hook ya'll up!

Book Reviews 3 & 4

If it freaks anyone out that I have four books done...I read nonfiction super fast. Also, these two books overlap ALOT!

Making Your Kids Mind without Losing Yours by Dr. Kevin Leman-is the BIG book. It has everything in it.

Have A New Kid By Friday by Dr. Kevin Leman -is the condensed version. I really liked it and found it much more practical in application, etc.

Some of his ideas I've had immediate success with already! Say it once, turn your back, walk away! WOW! Some, I'm not so sure about. He says that if your child has a tantrum in the store to step over them and walk away. In this day and age that makes me nervous. It makes me nervous that someone will have their child abducted trying this out in the busy mall. I get the concept...but I'd be careful. For the record, I did do that in the library today and it DID work like a charm. She forgot about her tantrum (regarding leaving) and hopped up to chase after my retreating back. Then she was easily distracted to "tromp-tromp" over the little wooden bridge by the door. So, it works but it is no holds barred! Which, is how it should be.

My favorite sections (in both books) talks about the difference between authoritarian, authoritative and permissive parenting. It was so interesting and really put it at the parent's feet. WOW--I have a lot of work to do...on myself!

To check out my Fall Reading List just click here.

No rest with the cuteness...

Caleb usually gets up from his nap a bit before his sister. He was having such a good time playing while I finished reading Bridge to Terebithia. He wanted to sit in the chair beside me and pretend to drink out of this blue cup. It was so cute...I grabbed my camera to share with ya'll. Check out the wonderful piggies and two toofers!



Later, Mommy was very tired. She thought she'd rest but turns out there is no rest with the cuteness around! I always end up being "wollered"--help, help!

Book Reviews 1 & 2

Dealing with Dragons
by Patricia C. Wrede

I so enjoyed this light-hearted read. It is delicious juvenile literature. It gently picks fun at all your favorite fairy tales of old and yet hold on to their adorable charm! I so recommend grabbing this book and getting to know Princess Cimorene as soon as you can!

A Mother and Two Daughters
by Gail Godwin

I hammered my way through this book because it's on my list and I'm going to read them all! I was disappointed but I guess it was an okay story. I read a review about this book in a book about creating mother daughter book clubs and let's just say the review was better than the book. I finished it and just couldn't figure out the purpose of the book. It didn't evoke any feelings good, bad or otherwise. If you have read this and found it profound...please share your reasoning with me...I'd be interested.

To check out my Fall Reading List just click here.

Fall Into Reading 2008

Juvenile Literature
(I say I read these to recommend to my Mom for her Jr. High classes but...the truth be told I really love the genre)

1. Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
2. The Gammage Cup by Carol Kendall
3. The Blue Fairy by Andrew Lang
4. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Peterson
5. What the dickens by Gregory Maguire --can't read this book. Declaring it a dud.
5. Fair Weather by Richard Peck

Non-Fiction
(Hopefully, this will give me some accountability to actually finish non fiction stuffs.)

6. The Busy Mom's Guide to Spiritual Survival by Kelli B. Trujillo
7. The Parent You Want To Be by Les and Leslie Parrott
8. The House That Cleans Itself by Mindy Starns Clark
9. Have A New Kid By Friday by Dr. Kevin Leman
10. Making Your Kids Mind without Losing Yours by Dr. Kevin Leman

Fiction
(Some of these I've been hearing about...so curiousity got the cat...and some I've had in a pile...waiting...)

11. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
12. A Mother and 2 Daughters by Gail Godwin
13. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Taylor
14. Needle's Eye by Margaret Drabble
15. The Prophet by Frank E. Peretti read half...will save for next Fall

All books are subject to change and this list may grow. I plan to do a book review of each. Don't worry, I'd never give away the ending. I'll tell you just enough to get you hooked.

I will edit this post...since it'll be the permalinked one...and hyperlink the book reviews from this post to their blogs. I will mark the completed books in this lovely FALL shade so you can keep up with my progress!

FROZEN BLUE SHADE = These books have been frozen for the winter! Sorry, I either couldn't get them from the library in a timely manner or I got sidetracked with another author!

STILL ALIVE AND KICKING = This book my hubby and I are reading together. Thus, it is taking longer. It is great to read together though...I highly recommend it for a shared reading book!